Christmas at the Selfridges, London

My favourite breakfast spot in London is this neighbourhood bakery near my friends place.

I just had a Pain au Chocolat this time around . Previously I’ve had all sorts of goodies.

Like a small cake for Father’s Day, an assortment of pastries and Almond and pistachio croissant for St. Patrick’s Day.

After breakfast I walked to the underground station, enjoying the blue sky and the winter landscape that were so different from Lisbon.

I was on my way to the Wallace Collection.

But got distracted by these window displays outside the Selfridges store on Oxford street

Compared to the windows at the other large department stores, These were rather funny with catchy phrases, reminding me that it was the American retailer Harry Gorden Selfridge who introduced window dressing into the department stores in the Great Britain, making shopping a fun experience.

I’m far from the materialized world nowadays,given that I haven’t gone into a department store for ages. But these windows intrigued me, so I decided to pop in…

The Edwardian building was designed by American architect Daniel H. Burnham, who also created Marshall Field’s, Chicago, Filene’s in Boston, Wanamaker’s in Philadelphia, and Gimbels and Wanamaker’s in New York City.

Inside was massive and lavishly decorated.

It was Mr. Selfridge who positioned the perfume and cosmetics department right inside the main entrance, and thanks to him, I was not shooed away for simply browsing the store without intending to spend a dime.

The ride down to the sweet lanes, where you find Pierre Hermé chocolates, were dreamy.

As there featured some of London’s best dessert places

And look at these fancy nutritious stuff

I had to get something 😛

It was the matcha tiramisu from Kova Patrisserie with intense matcha flavour. The woman in front of me bought the last matcha mille crêpes I’d been eyeing. I must come back another time!

Sources:

Wikipedia – Selfridges

Lindy Woodhead – Shopping, Seduction & Mr. Selfridge

Coming up next: The Wallace Collection, London